Modeling potential scenarios of the Tangjiashan Lake outburst and risk assessment in the downstream valley

Abstract

This research is devoted to Tangjiashan Lake, a quake landslide-dammed lake, situated in Sichuan Province, China, which was formed by a landslide triggered by the Wenchuan Earthquake on 12 May 2008. A STREAM_2D two-dimensional hydrodynamic model of Russia was applied to simulate the process of two flood scenarios: 1, lake dam outbreak, and 2, dam overtopping. An artificial dam outbreak was made after the earthquake to lower the water level of the lake in 2008, which led to a great flood with a maximum water discharge of more than 6400 m³/s. The negative impact of the flood was reduced by a timely evacuation of the population. Flood hazards still remain in the event of new landslides into the lake and lake dam overtopping (Scenario 2), in which case a maximum water discharge at the dam crest would reach 5000 m³/s, placing the population of Shabacun and Shilingzi villages in the zone of flood impact.

Keywords

Tangjiashan Lake / landslide-dammed lake outburst / hydrodynamic modeling / risk assessment

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